Editor's note: Elvis Beaudoin and Keith Way are seeded ninth in the Greatest Of All Time competition and will be in their first round match-up this coming Monday against the 2008 Canadian Firefighters Curling Championship winners of Steve Moss, Chris Haichert, Kevin Whitehead and Ingo Bauer.
The NWT's trophy case on the national scene of darts isn't exactly filled with plenty of success.
There have been some fine moments, such as Brenda Moreau of Fort Simpson qualifying to play with Team Canada at the 2008 Americas Cup tournament along with bronze medals in the Nodor Cup team competition at the Canadian National Darts Championships.
But there was something missing.
photo courtesy of Sheh Murillo
No national championship.
That all changed after one night in Saskatoon in June 2019.
That's when Elvis Beaudoin and Keith Way made history by becoming the first players from the NWT to win a national title. The duo captured the men's doubles crown thanks to a 3-0 win over Rob Piercy and Nick Smith of Nova Scotia in the final. Beaudoin put the final nail in Nova Scotia's coffin by checking out (finishing) on a score of 155 in the third leg of the best-of-five to clinch victory.
Beaudoin and Way spoke with SA国际影视传媒 minutes after their win (SA国际影视传媒淗istoric win for NWT darts in Saskatoon, Yellowknifer, June 14, 2019) with Beaudoin still on cloud nine.
SA国际影视传媒淭his is so surreal to me,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淜eith and I, we just put it together and you couldn't wish for better.SA国际影视传媒�
The duo started out in the sectionals, where they played 11 games in a round-robin format. They went 9-and-2 in the win/loss column, good enough to see them through from their group to the 32-team single-elimination playoff round. From there, they just kept on winning right on through to the final.
SA国际影视传媒淲e knew we had a good shot of getting a good draw when we beat a team from Quebec in our last section game,SA国际影视传媒� said Way. SA国际影视传媒淚t was a long day and we just shot so well.SA国际影视传媒�
Way provided the heroics in the semifinal as he checked out 120 on whatSA国际影视传媒檚 known as the 'Shanghai finish' SA国际影视传媒� single-20, triple-20 and double-20 SA国际影视传媒� in the deciding leg of the match to put them through to the final, where they were simply lights out, winning the best-of-five match in three straight legs.
It was BeaudoinSA国际影视传媒檚 first time ever playing on the main stage at a national championship and he said there were absolutely no nerves.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was like we were playing back home in Yellowknife,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淣o pressure at all SA国际影视传媒� to beat Nova Scotia the way we did SA国际影视传媒� blew them away SA国际影视传媒� that just blows my mind. This is the pinnacle of my career.SA国际影视传媒�
Way said he was thrilled to win his first national title but he was happier most for Beaudoin.
SA国际影视传媒淭his is a dream come true for him and it was awesome watching him celebrate,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
That celebration, said Beaudoin, included the entire team.
SA国际影视传媒淎fter we won, I just looked out at the entire team, Keith and I raised our arms and they were jumping,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淓veryone was so happy and we finally did it. We finally did something at nationals. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 phenomenal and itSA国际影视传媒檚 great that everyone was here to share it.SA国际影视传媒�
